Las Vegan Donnel Pumphrey boosts NFL Draft stock at scouting combine

Donnel Pumphrey sat in Indianapolis International Airport a few hours after his NFL Scouting Combine workout Friday wondering what he could have done better.

The Las Vegan, who broke numerous rushing records at San Diego State, was disappointed with his time of 4.48 seconds in the 40-yard dash.

“I felt I could have improved a lot more in the 40,” Pumphrey said. “I was consistently running under 4.44 (seconds) last week. I mean, I’m happy with the numbers I put up at the end of the day.”

Pumphrey might have been too harsh on himself. He must have done something right if his sprint video was on the homepage of NFL.com next to top running back prospects Leonard Fournette and Christian McCaffrey.

But for Pumphrey, he needs to set high standards to turn his many doubters into believers. He’s often been overlooked because of his lack of size at 5 feet 8 inches and 175 pounds — the smallest participant of the 30 running backs at the combine.

The Canyon Springs High School graduate clocked the fourth-fastest time, tied with McCaffrey from Stanford and De’Angelo Henderson of Coastal Carolina. North Carolina’s T.J. Logan had the fastest time at 4.37 seconds.

Pumphrey, who wore a loose workout T-shirt instead of the tight sleeveless top, completed the running drills with ease and impressed NFL media draft expert Mike Mayock.

Mayock wasn’t bothered by Pumphrey’s lack of strength after only completing five reps on the 225-pound bench press, the lowest among running backs. Pumphrey recorded a vertical jump of 33.5 inches and 117 inches on the broad jump.

“I love Donnel Pumphrey, by the way,” Mayock said on TV. “He’s the two-time Mountain West player of the year. I’ve watched a bunch of tape on him. His lateral jump cuts are outstanding.”

Pumphrey is the all-time rushing leader in FBS history with 6,405 yards, but that hasn’t helped his draft stock. He is considered a fifth-round pick at best by NFL.com and regarded as the 15th best running back prospect by CBS Sports.

Marshall Faulk, who had every San Diego State rushing record before Pumphrey, defended the Las Vegan during the NFL Network broadcast of the combine.

“Odds have been against him,” Faulk said. “People talk about his size and what he can’t do. You want to talk about running in between tackles. At San Diego State, they ran a power running game, and there’s no doubt he can take a pounding.

“He’s taken the hits. … I was impressed with his four years at San Diego State.”

Pumphrey said he received plenty of interest when meeting with NFL teams and is willing to play special teams.

“I just want to play football at the next level,” he said. “That’s the dream. I’ll do whatever coaches ask.

“I had good connections with teams. We just talked football, and that went well. If people don’t believe in me by now, then they never will. I’m just going to continue to work hard.”

Contact Gilbert Manzano at gmanzano@reviewjournal.com or 702-383-0492. Follow @gmanzano24 on Twitter.